Who was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?
“Many were prepared to follow me, but I could not make up my mind as to who should be my deputy commander. Then I thought of Vallabhbhai”
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Vallabhbhai Patel, full name Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, byname Sardar Patel, was an Indian National Congress senior leader and a prominent figure in the Indian Freedom Struggle who later became India's first Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister. Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Nadiad District Kheda and raised in Gujarat's countryside. He was a successful attorney. He later led peasants from Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in nonviolent civil disobedience against the British Raj, becoming one of Gujarat's most powerful leaders. In 1934 and 1937, he served as the 49th President of Indian National Congress, organising the party for elections and advocating for the Quit India Movement.
After India's independence, he became the country's first Deputy Prime Minister. Patel was appointed India's Home Minister on the country's first anniversary of independence. He was also in charge of the States Department and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. As India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Patel oversaw relief efforts for refugees fleeing Punjab and Delhi, as well as efforts to restore peace. Sardar Patel took charge of the States Department and was responsible for the accession of 565 princely states to the Union of India, which would become his most lasting legacy. In a tribute to him, Nehru referred to Sardar as “the builder and consolidator of new India”.
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Quiz on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Let us look at a few GK questions and answers on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
1. What was the full name of Sardar Patel?
Shri Vallabhbhai Patel
Vallabh Bhai Jhaverbhai Patel
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
None of these
Answer: (b) Vallabh Bhai Jhaverbhai Patel
Explanation: The full name of Sardar Patel is Vallabh Bhai Jhaverbhai Patel. Vallabhbhai Patel was from a land-owning Leva Patidar family. It's no secret that he was raised in a traditional Hindu home, where he attended primary and secondary school in Karamsad and Petlad, but was mostly self. Patel was 16 when he got married, 22 when he graduated from college, and 23 when he passed the district pleader's test. Godhra was his first district pleader office, which he opened in 1900. Two years later, he moved to Borsad.
2. Which of the following ministries was Vallabhbhai J. Patel assigned responsibility as India's first deputy prime minister?
Finance Ministry
Defence Ministry
Home Ministry
Corporate Affairs Ministry
Answer: (c) Home Ministry
Explanation: Patel was Independent India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. The British had given the Indian princely states two options: join India or Pakistan, or remain independent. This created a great deal of uncertainty. Patel's task as home minister was herculean: persuade the princely states to join India. With his deft negotiating skills, he was able to bring over 560 states into the Indian Union. A few states, including Junagadh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Hyderabad, refused to acquiesce/comply. The country would have been disjointed if these states had not joined the Indian Union, so Patel used force to deal with them.
3. Sardar Patel Zoological Park is located in which state?
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
Karnataka
Gujarat
Answer: (d) Gujarat
Explanation: Sardar Patel Zoological Park, also known as Jungle Safari Park, is located in Kevadia, Gujarat, in the Narmada district. One of the most intriguing aspects of this zoological park is the opportunity to see nearly 170 different species of animals from America, Asia, Africa, and Australia in their natural habitat. Unlike other zoological parks, this one is built in an "open design" style, simulating the feel of a wildlife safari. Unlike other zoos, the animals can be seen in their natural habitat rather than in cages. There is a section called Abode of Carnivores that only houses carnivorous animals. Ecological balance has received a lot of attention. The zoo contains over 5 lakh plants spread across 7 levels. Animal models have also been placed at strategic points throughout the park to provide information about the flora and fauna. The zoo's animals include Royal Bengal Tigers, leopards, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros, deer, and antelopes.
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4. Which day is celebrated by the Union Government of India on the occasion of the birthday of Vallabhbhai J. Patel?
Rashtriya Akhandta Diwas
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Rashtriya Nirman Diwas
Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas
Answer: (b) Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Explanation: Every year on October 31st, National Unity Day, or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, is observed. The day was established by the Government of India in 2014 to commemorate the birth anniversary of India's Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This year marks the 146th anniversary of the freedom fighter's birth. According to the official statement for National Unity Day, the National Unity Day “will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to our country's unity, integrity, and security.”
5. Because of his leadership and achievement in which of the following movements did Vallabhbhai Patel earn the title of Sardar?
Civil Disobedience Movement
Kheda Satyagraha
Non-cooperation Movement
Bardoli Satyagraha
Answer: (d) Bardoli Satyagraha
Explanation: Patel successfully led the landowners of Bardoli in their resistance to increased taxes in 1928. His effective leadership of the Bardoli campaign earned him the title sardar, which means "leader" in Hindi, and he was recognised as a nationalist leader throughout India from then on. He was regarded as practical, decisive, and even ruthless, and the British saw him as a dangerous adversary. Vallabhbhai Patel was given the title 'Sardar' by Mahatma Gandhi.
6. Sardar Patel was given the Bharat Ratna in what year?
1985
1991
1987
1992
Answer: (b) 1991
Explanation: “This award was given to every notable individual. In Patel's case, however, it took 41 years for him to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. The award was bestowed upon him by the Narsimha Rao government” Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law and Justice, stated. The minister was speaking at a function hosted by the Patel Sewa Sangh in Bihar to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of India's Iron Man. On his birth anniversary today, the nation pays tribute to Patel, and 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day) is observed. Prasad also stated that the country's first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, stated in 1959 that India is where it is today because of Patel.
After the quiz on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, let us know a little more about the Iron Man of India through Frequently Asked Questions. After reading the whole article, we believe you can now answer any GK Question and Answer on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Let us learn a few more questions.
FAQs on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
1. What was the role of Sardar Patel in the Indian National Movement?
In September 1917, Patel, who had joined India's independence movement, inspired the people of Borsad to support Gandhi's demand for independence. Patel became secretary of the Indian National Congress' Gujarat Sabha and assisted Gandhi in his campaigns. Patel was elected President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee in 1920. In 1920, he left his prosperous legal practise to join Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement. His children and he burned their western clothing in bonfires set up to burn and boycott British goods.
While Gandhi was imprisoned, Patel led the Satyagraha Movement in Nagpur in 1923, when the British banned the hoisting of the Indian flag. Patel was elected President of Ahmedabad's municipal committee from 1924 to 1928. During this time, he put in place a number of sanitation, water supply, administration, and town planning programmes. Farmers refused to pay the taxes demanded by the government in response to Patel's call for a non-cooperation movement on February 12, 1928. Gandhi called for the Dandi March and Salt Satyagraha in 1930 to protest the salt tax. On March 7, 1930, Patel was arrested as one of the leaders prior to the Dandi March.
2. How did the Iron Man of India die?
Following Gandhi's assassination in 1948, Patel suffered a heart attack. In the latter half of 1950, his health began to deteriorate. He was transferred to Bombay in December. He died on December 15, 1950, after suffering a second heart attack.
The Sardar Patel National Memorial was dedicated in Moti Shahi Mahal, Ahmedabad, in 1980. Sardar Sarovar Dam, a major dam on the Narmada River, was named after him. The International Airport in Ahmedabad, as well as several academic institutions, bear his name. In 1991, he was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. In 2014, it was announced that Patel's birthday would be celebrated annually as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day.
3. What is the Statue of Unity?
World's tallest sculpture, the 182-meter (597 feet) tall Statue of Unity, was devoted to him on October 31, 2018. It is roughly 3.2 km away from Sadhu Bet close to Vadodara, Gujarat. The Statue of Unity and its connected designs are spread over a space of around 20000 square meters. Worked at a surmised cost of 29.8 billion rupees, the whole perplexing is encircled by an artificial lake.
